Surgical sleeves for speculums or retractors and a method of using the same

An article for housing a speculum or retractor, wherein the speculum or retractor comprises first means and second means for engaging with and exerting force to hold apart respective opposite edges of an eyelid of a patient when the speculum or retractor is disposed in an operating position with the first and second means at the respective outer edges of the eyelid when the speculum or retractor is released and wherein the speculum or retractor comprises third means for connecting the first and second means and enabling relative movement there between, the article comprising:

• (a) a first elongate sleeve portion;
• (b) a second elongate sleeve portion;
• and
• (c) a connecting portion connecting respective base portions of the first and second sleeve portions;
• wherein the first sleeve portion, the second sleeve portion and the connecting portion are integrally formed of a flexible, sterile material;
• wherein the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion project from the connecting portion at an angle with respect to one another with the respective base portions of the respective first and second sleeve portions converging at the connecting portion;
• wherein the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion are of tubular or teardrop shape in cross section and are dimensioned such that, with the speculum or retractor housed in the article, the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion envelop the first means and the second means of the speculum or retractor respectively and, with the speculum or retractor housed in the article in the operating position, the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion are maintained in a disposition between the respective first and second means and the eyelid solely by compressive force, wherein each of the first and second sleeve portions has a surface that is adapted to conform to a U-shape of retaining portions of the speculum or retractor with the speculum or retractor maintaining the respective first and second sleeve portions in the disposition, and wherein the article comprises an opening through which the speculum or retractor is insertable into the article so that the respective first and second means can be enveloped by the first and second sleeve portions respectively.